HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-09-10 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, September 10, 2020—Oak Park Heights City Hall
I. Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance:
Chair Freeman called the meeting to order @ 6:00 p.m.
Present: Commissioners Van Denburgh, VanDyke and White; City Administrator Johnson,
City Planner Richards, and City Councilmember Liaison Representative Liljegren.
II. Approval of Agenda:
Commissioner White, seconded by Commissioner VanDyke, moved to approve the Agenda
as presented. Carried 4-0.
III. Approval of August 13, 2020 Meeting Minutes:
Commissioner VanDyke, seconded by Commissioner Van Denburgh, moved to approve the
Minutes with typographical corrections. Carried 4-0.
IV. Department/ Commission Liaison/Other Reports:
City Councilmember Representative Liljegren noted that the City Council would be
continuing interviews of the Police Chief candidates to fill the position, when Chief of
Police DeRosier retires at the year end.
V. Visitors/Public Comment: None.
VI. Public Hearings:
A. Carol Johnson CUP Amendment: Review and consider application from Carol
Johnson for a Conditional Use Permit Amendment to July 23, 2019 Conditional Use
Permit to allow the newly constructed garage to exceed the height of the principal
structure at 6165 Beach Road N.
City Planner Richards reviewed the September 2, 2020 Planning Report and his
secondary September 9, 2020 Memorandum with regard to the request, providing an
issue analysis and discussing the same.
Chair Freeman invited the Applicant to speak.
Clyde Saari—6165 Beach Road introduced himself, discussed their efforts to
compliance, noting he supports approval of the request, that he didn't have much to add
to what City Planner Richards said and would be happy to address any questions the
Commission may have.
Planning Commission Minutes
September 10,2020
Page 2 of 3
Chair Freeman opened the public hearing at 6:13 p.m. and invited comment to the
public hearing. There being none, Commissioner VanDyke, seconded by
Commissioner Van Denburgh, moved to close the public hearing. Carried 4-0.
Commission discussion ensued. It was noted that there wasn't much discussion about
the roof height during the original CUP request as the applicant had intended to place
the roof to the principal structure and it wasn't thought to be an issue at the time.
It was clarified that City Ordinance requires an accessory structure to not exceed the
height of the principal structure, that such requirement was a condition of the original
CUP approval, and that being the garage height exceeds the height of the principal
structure, the condition is the issue of the CUP Amendment request.
Chair Freeman stated that he visited the site, measured the structure and spoke with the
neighbors adjacent to the garage structure, who did indicate that they liked the structure.
Freeman noted that the garage is not standard, not what he envisioned with the original
CUP approval and sought to understand from the applicant how it got to where it is.
Carol Johnson—6165 Beach Rd. N. responded to questions regarding the design and
construction of that garage, noting that it was the intention to have the roof placed to the
apartment building.
Commission discussion continued as to its construction, its appearance being different
from other structures in the neighborhood, status of trees being saved at the site,
drainage and other improvements made at the site. Clarification was made that the
upper level of the garage is purely for storage.
Clyde Saari—6165 Beach Rd. N. discussed the importance of storage to him and Ms.
Johnson, having moved from a very large home to a small space, noting that huge
investment was made to obtain storage and that the roof pitch chosen was done so to
maximize the use of the storage area.
Mr. Saari stated that originally it was thought that the intended roof area for the
structure could be used to house air conditioning equipment for the building. Over the
course of time, they learned that this was not possible, rendering the space useless to
them. He noted some of the difficulties they encountered in attempting to have the roof
placed, with costs for the same being in the $100,000 price range and that he also felt
having a roof of the same pitch on the apartment would be overwhelming.
Chair Freeman again expressed the unusualness of the request and stated that while he
felt that the garage looked better that what was there, he felt the height situation could
have been prevented, noting that it would look better without the same roof on the
apartment building. It was clarified that the original CUP approval conditions remain in
place, with only the amendment change and that the storage area of the garage is only
for storage and is not considered to be a habitable space.
Planning Commission Minutes
September 10, 2020
Page 3 of 3
Commissioner Vandyke, seconded by Commissioner White, moved to recommend
City Council approval of the request by applicant, Carol Johnson to a Conditional Use
Permit to allow an amendment to the Conditional Use Permit approval granted July
23, 2019 to remove Condition 5 as it relates to the height of the principal structure at
6165 Beach Road N.
Carried 4-0.
VII. New Business: None.
VIII. Old Business: None.
IX. Informational:
Chair Freeman noted the upcoming meeting of A.S. King Advisory Committee would be
September 16th
City Administrator noted that Tim Freeman, as a resident of Oak Park Heights, was
appointed as Chair to the Committee and that Planning Commission representatives to the
Committee are Jennifer VanDyke and David White.
A. Upcoming Meetings:
• Tuesday, August 25, 2020 City Council 6:00 p.m./City Hall
• Tuesday, September 8, 2020 City Council 6:00 p.m./City Hall
• Thursday, September 10, 2020 Planning Commission 6:00 p.m./City Hall
• Tuesday, September 22, 2020 City Council 6:00 p.m./City Hall
• Thursday, October 8, 2020 Planning Commission 6:00 p.m./City Hall
• Tuesday, October 13, 2020 City Council 6:00 p.m./City Hall
• Tuesday, October 27, 2020 City Council 6:00 p.m./City Hall
B. Council Representative
• Tuesday, August 25 —Commissioner VanDyke
• Tuesday, September 22, 2020—Commissioner Van Denburgh
• Tuesday, October 27, 2020—Commissioner—White
X. Adjourn: Commissioner VanDyke, seconded by Commissioner Van Denburgh, moved
to adjourn at 6:45 p.m. Carried 4-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie tman
Pland & Code Enforcement
Approved by the Planning Commission: 10/08/2020 4-0